After a very dry and mild winter, we did not see the first substantial rainfall in Andau until the end of March. The budding of our vines took place after a long pruning period. April was as changeable as its name suggests and there were even isolated hailstones in some parts of the village, but they did not cause any significant damage.
Our vines ripened quickly thanks to the sunny and warm Andau weather and even the “ice saints” in mid-May – Pankratius, Servatius, Bonifatius and Sofie (no known relation to our Sophie Thell 😉) passed without frost in Andau.
There is currently a lot to do in our Andau vineyards, as it is about nothing less than laying the foundations for the quality and quantity of this year’s wine harvest! After our vines were pruned in the winter and then the stretchers were fixed to the lower wire frame, they sprouted in March and have already developed their shoots.
Now it is important to remove shoots that have grown too close together or are weak. In Andau, we rely on rigorous selection and thin out to six to eight shoots per vine. This ensures good aeration and brings plenty of sunlight into the developing foliage. At the moment, you can clearly see the buds that have already formed – the preliminary stage of our grapes. If the weather remains sunny and warm, we expect the vines to flower at the beginning of June, in line with the long-term average.
You are cordially invited to visit us in Andau in our vineyards and of course in our wineries to see this natural spectacle for yourself and of course to enjoy a glass or two of wine with us!
